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By Sonia Fuller
Time to unpack the holiday lights, dust off the decorations and get your favorite holiday songs on a playlist. The holidays are here, which means that the annual Grant Park Candlelight Tour of Homes is right around the corner. In addition to the annual tour, fun-filled activities are planned throughout the weekend.
This year’s tour is scheduled for Saturday, December 14 and Sunday, December 15 from 6:00pm to 10:00pm, while the family-friendly Winter Wonderland will take place only on Saturday from 5:00pm to 7:00pm. An Artists’ Market featuring local crafters, artists, and baked treats will occur in the St. Paul United Methodist Church (UMC) sanctuary both nights, beginning Saturday at 4:00pm and Sunday from 6:00pm until 9:00pm.
Ten of Grant Park’s most interesting homes are included in this year’s tour, along with the century-old sanctuary at St. Paul UMC and the L.P. Grant Mansion, an antebellum treasure which is now home to the Atlanta Preservation Center. All but one of the homes are new to the Candlelight Tour, and all feature unique and fun elements that make them a treat for guests. Not only have many of the houses been lovingly restored and updated, but several homes have special design themes and art collections.
On Saturday afternoon, the Winter Wonderland will feature a “Holidays Around the World” celebration with treats, crafts, and neighborhood families socializing. Located upstairs from the Grant Park Cooperative Preschool at St. Paul UMC, Winter Wonderland is excited to host a special visit from Santa once again. And, if you are up for some caroling, jump on the old-fashioned tractor-pulled hayride, which is on Saturday from 5:00pm to 8:00pm. All voices are welcome.
On Sunday, the St. Paul UMC choir invites everyone to a special candlelight Christmas concert at 5:00pm. The ticket box office and the Artist Market open immediately afterwards at 6:00pm.
Tickets for the Grant Park Candlelight Tour of Homes are available in advance through December 14 for $15 atwww.CandlelightTourofHomes.com, by calling 404-688-7501, or they can be purchased for $20 at the St. Paul United Methodist Church box office on the event dates. The Winter Wonderland, sponsored by the Grant Park Parent Network, and the Artist Market are free and open to the public.
Thanks to participating sponsors and hundreds of ticket sales, each year this festive holiday celebration provides funds to three of Grant Park’s nonprofits – St. Paul UMC, the Grant Park Cooperative Preschool (GPCP), and the Grant Park Parent Network (GPPN). For more information, please visit www.CandlelightTourofHomes.com.
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